Eldest Senior Sister Became a Sensation After Being Blacklisted Online - Chapter 36

Sun Ce caught Sun Guichang’s gaze and cleared his throat, hesitating before approaching his grandfather. He lowered his voice, “I’ve already sent someone to investigate.”

“Nonsense,” Sun Guichang retorted, then clasped his hands in a fist and turned to Song Cheng. “Miss Song, your martial skills are impressive. May I ask who your master is?”

Song Cheng lifted her teacup, took a delicate sip, and set it down. “What? Are you trying to size me up?” She leaned back against the sofa, a faint smile playing on her lips, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m afraid you’re not entitled to know my master’s identity.”

Sun Q bristled at her words. “You—!”

“Apologize to Miss Song,” Sun Guichang interrupted sharply, cutting off his grandson’s outburst. He recognized that Song Cheng’s Inner Force surpassed his own, and her youth only amplified the threat. He had no desire to make an enemy of such a formidable opponent.

This exchange was merely an attempt to gauge Song Cheng’s intentions.

Sun Q seethed inwardly, but under his grandfather’s stern gaze, he reluctantly forced out, “I apologize.”

Song Cheng tilted her head slightly, feigning confusion. “What was that?”

Sun Q took a deep breath, his hands clenching at his sides. Gritting his teeth, he raised his voice, “It was my fault. Please forgive me, Miss Song.”

Only then did Song Cheng nod in acknowledgment.

Sun Guichang: “……”

Sun Ce: “……”

What does this mean?

Song Cheng shifted slightly, setting down her teacup on the coffee table. Her gaze fell on the surface. “Trying to smooth things over after coming here to provoke me?” She lifted her head, a faint smirk playing at the corner of her lips. “You think you can get away with that so easily?”

Sun Q could no longer contain himself, ignoring Sun Ce’s warning glances. “Don’t push your luck! You’re the one who injured me. Am I not allowed to seek revenge?”

Song Cheng nodded. “Sure, go ahead!” She stood up. “Your mistake was threatening me with the people I care about.”

Before she could finish, Sun Guichang roared, “Kneel!”

Sensing his grandfather’s genuine fury, Sun Ce immediately tried to explain, “Grandfather, the situation…”

“You kneel too!” Sun Guichang barked.

Sun Q flinched, lowering his head as he knelt beside Sun Ce on the floor.

Only then did Sun Guichang turn to Song Cheng. “I will discipline them severely and offer you a proper apology, Miss Song. I hope you’ll consider their youth.”

“Youth?” Song Cheng countered with a smile.

Sun Guichang choked on his words. While Sun Q was roughly Song Cheng’s age, his eldest grandson, Sun Ce, was several years older. Using “youth” to excuse their actions was a stretch.

As Sun Guichang pondered his next move, the butler rushed in, his voice urgent. “Master, the families from Lingnan have arrived. They’ve landed their helicopters in the square and are heading this way now.”

Sun Guichang’s brow furrowed as he turned to glare at the two kneeling figures.

Ding…

Sun Ce immediately pulled out his phone, displaying information about Song Cheng’s connections to Lingnan’s Three Great Ancient Martial Clans.

Having some ties wouldn’t have been a problem—after all, Song Cheng was in S City. What truly unsettled him was that the three clans had actually invited Song Cheng to instruct them in martial arts.

Worse still, the invitation had been spearheaded by the Xu Clan, the most prominent of Lingnan’s Five Great Clans. This alone proved Song Cheng’s profound mastery of martial arts—so deep that they were willing to lower their status and even pay handsomely to secure her guidance.

Sun Guichang’s emotions were complex. Initially, he had dismissed Song Cheng as a naive newcomer, lacking the experience to understand the world’s ways. He had tacitly allowed his grandsons to handle the situation their own way, unwilling to let the Sun Family lose face.

Now, his grandsons had completely disregarded the martial virtues passed down by their ancestors, thoroughly antagonizing Song Cheng.

Inviting a deity is easy; dismissing one is far harder. He hadn’t even dealt with Song Cheng yet, and now the Lingnan families were arriving?

“Old Man Sun, is this how you treat your guests?” Liu Tianhong demanded. He and Sun Guichang had always been at odds, and now that he finally had a chance to thoroughly humiliate him, he wasn’t about to miss it.

Spotting Song Cheng sitting on the sofa, he quickened his pace and strode over to her side, straightening his back and sneering, “Old Man Sun, after all your years, you not only tolerate your juniors ganging up on the weak, but you’ve also forgotten the rules laid down by our ancestors.” He pointed a finger at Sun Guichang. “And what right do you have to take my granddaughter hostage? Do you think the Liu Family is dead?”

Before Sun Guichang could respond, Xu Jinrong, who was trailing two steps behind Liu Tianhong, chimed in, “Old Sun, don’t blame us for barging in. It’s your handling of this situation that’s been utterly inappropriate.”

Zhang Heng found a seat, accepted the tea offered by the butler, and snorted coldly, “Inappropriate? It’s downright outrageous.”

The trio’s words completely stripped Sun Guichang of his dignity. The smile on his face vanished, replaced by a cold glare as he demanded, “So, barging in uninvited is justified now?”

“What? You’re allowed to call for reinforcements, but I’m not?” Song Cheng retorted, settling onto the sofa beside Liu Tianhong, her eyes narrowing into slits that radiated a dangerous glint.

Sun Guichang was once again left speechless.

“Alright, I’m not unreasonable,” Song Cheng said, glancing at the two men still kneeling on the floor. “Have them apologize to Ziman publicly, kneeling before everyone.”

Sun Q opened his mouth to protest, but Sun Ce quickly clamped his hand over his mouth, silencing him with muffled grunts.

Sun Guichang naturally refused. If Song Cheng’s words held true, the Sun Family’s decades of accumulated reputation and prestige would vanish like water flowing east, making them the laughingstock of the other clans.

Xu Jinrong and Zhang Heng exchanged knowing glances. They both understood Sun Guichang would never agree.

“Don’t want to?” Song Cheng turned to Xu Jinrong. “How do you usually handle such matters?”

Xu Jinrong cleared his throat. “Among martial artists, disputes are settled through combat. The loser is at the mercy of the victor,” he paused, then quickly added, “though life-threatening injuries are forbidden.”

Song Cheng nodded in understanding and stood up. “Fine, let’s follow your rules then! Don’t worry, I won’t kill him. But as for his legs and tongue…”

Sun Guichang interrupted her sharply. “According to tradition, an injured disciple may choose a trusted representative to fight in their stead.”

“No need to choose—you’ll do! Don’t worry, no one will accuse you of bullying the young,” Song Cheng said with a mocking smile. “Besides, you don’t stand a chance of winning anyway.”

Liu Tianhong burst out laughing at her words. Noticing Sun Guichang glaring at him, he immediately retorted, “Your glare won’t help you. You really can’t beat her.”

Xu Jinrong and Song Cheng had interacted a few times, and he knew she wouldn’t change her mind. Seeing an opportunity to curb the arrogance of the Lingbe Ancient Martial Arts Clan, he leaned closer to Zhang Heng and whispered, “Shall we invite the others as well?”

Zhang Heng understood instantly. He nodded to Zhang Qucheng, who quietly slipped away to make arrangements.

Seeing Sun Guichang remain silent for an extended period, Liu Tianhong taunted, “You could just admit defeat now. We’ll even let you keep your dignity.”

Sun Guichang rose to his feet, summoning his full martial presence, and gestured with a flourish. “Miss Song, please!”

As Song Cheng moved, the others rose as well.

The group proceeded to the side courtyard, which featured a vast training ground spanning several thousand square meters, with a raised competition platform of over a hundred square meters at its center.

The Sun Family’s patriarch engaging in a martial contest against a woman in her twenties had drawn the attention of the entire clan. Clever disciples used the excuse of carrying chairs for the guests to gather and observe.

Some were delighted, others worried. Xu Jinrong and his group sat down with practiced composure, though a closer look would reveal their barely concealed schadenfreude.

Sun Guichang was naturally worried. If he lost today, he would lose face in front of a group of juniors.

But the situation had progressed to the point where he couldn’t back down even if he wanted to.

Forcing himself to maintain composure, he stepped onto the competition stage with Song Cheng. “Miss Song, are you absolutely sure about this? If you lose today, the image you’ve painstakingly cultivated with the Xu, Liu, and Zhang families will crumble. Do you really think they’ll still support you then?”

Song Cheng scoffed softly and turned to the trio sitting a few meters away. “This old man is truly wicked. Even now, he’s trying to sow discord between us.”

Before she could finish speaking, Liu Tianhong leaped to his feet, pointing a finger at Sun Guichang and unleashing a torrent of abuse. “You old bastard! Do you think you can meddle in our relationships? Don’t think I don’t know you’re just afraid of losing face! Well, let me tell you this: not only will you be humiliated in front of the younger generation today, but the Sun Family’s standing among the Five Great Northern Families will plummet!”

Sun Guichang frowned deeply, never expecting Song Cheng to resort to such tactics, let alone that the trio would be so ruthless as to try and disgrace him among the Five Great Northern Families.

His murky eyes blazed with fury as he glared at Song Cheng. “Go ahead,” he snarled.

Before Song Cheng could respond, he lunged forward. Song Cheng nimbly evaded his attack. “Doesn’t this prove the saying, ‘Like father, like son’? No wonder your subordinates all love ambushes.”

With that, Song Cheng launched her counterattack.

As the fight began, the three men who had been seated immediately rose, pulling out their phones to record while intently watching the arena. Xu Jinrong quickly noticed something. “Song Cheng is using the Sun Family’s own techniques!”

Zhang Heng adjusted his reading glasses. “Old Man Sun is done for this time. Losing to his own family’s moves? If I were him, I’d never show my face again.”

“Hahaha! What a brilliant move! No wonder I took a liking to her,” Liu Tianhong roared with laughter.

Xu Jinrong: “……”

Zhang Heng: “……”

The older they get, the thicker their skin becomes.

Equally excited were the Sun Family disciples who had rushed to the scene. Initially, they had been somewhat intimidated by Sun Guichang, but the sheer brilliance of the sparring match quickly suppressed their fear. They instinctively moved closer to the arena.

Some even started recording with their phones, imitating Xu Jinrong and the others, while others went live, boasting, “Look! These are the Sun Family’s signature moves, each one divinely bestowed. The two sparring on the platform are my Martial Grandfather and Song Cheng, a celebrity. Just wait—Song Cheng will concede within a minute.”

Liu Zimang, rushing to the scene, nervously clutched her phone, glancing ahead anxiously. “How much longer until we get there?”

Zhang Yux, who happened to see the live stream, grabbed Liu Zimang’s arm while staring at her phone screen. “Ziman, look! It’s Song Cheng!”

Hearing Song Cheng’s name, Liu Zimang snatched the phone from Zhang Yux. Despite the distance, she immediately recognized Song Cheng sparring with Sun Guichang on the competition platform.

“I don’t know much about martial arts, but even I can tell Song Cheng is handling this effortlessly. She doesn’t seem to take that old man seriously. Don’t worry, she’ll be fine,” Zhang Yux reassured her, leaning closer to the phone screen to watch more.

They had already arrived at the Xu Clan’s villa when Liu Zimang received a call from Liu Tianhong, informing them that they had reached the Sun Family compound.

Upon hearing the news, Liu Zimang immediately decided to head to the Sun Family’s residence.

Zhao Q, who was driving, felt a pang of curiosity. Hesitantly, he asked, “Sister Zhang, could you record the screen for me? I’d like to watch it later.”

Zhang Yux was about to agree when Liu Zimang abruptly moved her phone to the other side, even turning her body to block Zhang Yux from seeing the screen. “Liu Zimang, don’t be so unreasonable! That’s my phone!”

“Then use mine,” Liu Zimang retorted matter-of-factly, her attention completely fixed on Song Cheng in the livestream.

This was the first time she had seen Song Cheng fight seriously. Even through the screen, she could feel the overwhelming force of her presence. It wasn’t hard to imagine how awe-inspiring the scene must be in person.

With that thought, she immediately ordered Zhao Q, “You want to see it? Then drive faster!”

Zhao Q understood and accelerated slightly.

Zhang Yux unlocked Liu Zimang’s phone and found the livestream. “Damn! The viewer count was only a few thousand a minute ago. How did it jump to tens of thousands now?”

Ring! Ring! Ring…

When Liu Zimang saw the livestream screen replaced by a call interface, she immediately shoved the phone into Zhang Yux’s arms. In the brief moment of Zhang Yux’s surprise, she snatched her own phone back and resumed watching the livestream.

Seeing this, Zhang Yux cursed under her breath, “Damn it,” before getting up to take a call from her assistant in the back seat. “Talent Clash just called. They’re airing the recorded episode ten minutes early.”

“General Zhang is such a sly fox. He’s determined not to let a single bit of publicity slip through his fingers. If they want to air it early, let them. Just keep a close eye on things today. If you spot any trolls, you know what to do, right?”

“Understood.”

Meanwhile, at the SL Branch:

Upon hearing about Song Cheng’s live broadcast, Lisa immediately instructed the Public Relations Department to officially announce Song Cheng and Liu Zimang as the brand ambassadors for the upcoming product launch. She also ordered them to post the edited promotional images on SL’s official website.

At the Sun Family estate:

Sun Guichang, who had already exchanged five moves with Song Cheng, was starting to struggle, panting heavily. “How… how do you know the Sun Family’s techniques?”

Song Cheng tilted her head slightly. “Are your family’s techniques really that hard to learn? I just glanced at them, and now I know them.”

Liu Tianhong, who had already moved to a better vantage point, slapped his thigh and burst into laughter. “Old Man Sun, you’re losing your touch! Song Cheng just glanced at your family’s techniques and grasped their essence, while you, a lifelong member of the Sun Family, have only scratched the surface. You’re slipping, Old Sun!” He shook his head mockingly.

Sun Guichang’s face flushed crimson. “Shut up! If she can learn the Sun Family’s techniques today, she’ll learn yours tomorrow!”

“I have no objection. Song Chengyuan is welcome to learn whatever she wants,” Liu Tianhong said, turning to Xu Jinrong and Zhang Heng. “What about you two?”

Zhang Heng waved his hand dismissively. “If Song Cheng deems the Zhang Family’s techniques worthy of her attention, it’s an honor for us!”

Xu Jinrong shrugged nonchalantly. “I have no objections either.”

“You… you…” Sun Guichang trembled with rage. He finally understood: these three hadn’t come to support Song Cheng; they were here to mock him.

He would never let them have their way.

He sneered coldly and addressed Song Cheng: “Your talent is undeniable, but your mistake was using the Sun Family’s techniques to humiliate me.” Before the words had even left his lips, he unleashed the Sun Family’s ultimate technique.

This technique, called “Remove the Firewood from Under the Cauldron,” was only taught to the family head. When his father had passed it down, he had specifically warned him to use it only in dire circumstances.

True to its name, the technique was devastatingly powerful but also self-destructive. Sun Guichang had believed he would never need to resort to it in his lifetime, yet here he was, forced to use it by a mere junior like Song Cheng.

Song Cheng carefully observed Sun Guichang’s movements, her years of combat experience telling her this technique was extremely dangerous.

If it’s dangerous, then I must nip it in the bud.

She immediately channeled her Internal Energy, still refraining from using her own techniques. Relying on her speed, she closed the distance to Sun Guichang, intending to strike his vital point directly. However, Sun Guichang’s Remove the Firewood from Under the Cauldron technique sent her flying backward.

Her feet slid nearly fifteen meters before she managed to stop. Her clear eyes flashed with light as she taunted, “So this is the Sun Family’s ultimate technique? Nothing special!” Despite her words, she had indeed been affected; her q and bl00d were already surging violently.

She subtly adjusted her stance, circulating the Tranquil Mind Manual while mentally reviewing the proper application of Remove the Firewood from Under the Cauldron.

Her composure and calm demeanor threw Sun Guichang into turmoil. He had assumed that even someone as formidable as Song Cheng would be injured by his technique. Yet now, apart from being blasted back fifteen meters, she showed no other signs of distress.

No, I refuse to believe it. She must be putting on a brave face.

Suppressing his discomfort, he charged at Song Cheng again.

Song Cheng glanced at him, then flawlessly replicated Remove the Firewood from Under the Cauldron from memory. When Sun Guichang was only a few feet away, she unleashed a powerful strike, sending him crashing into the edge of the arena.

Sun Guichang struggled to his feet, ignoring the bl00d trickling from the corner of his mouth. “Hahaha…” He swayed as he turned to face Xu Jinrong. “Your schemes will fail! Remove the firewood from under the cauldron! Kill a thousand enemies, but lose eight hundred of your own! Hahahaha…”

“Grandfather…”

“Martial Grandfather…”

The crowd gasped as Sun Guichang collapsed on the arena floor, rushing toward him.

Liu Zimang arrived to find chaos. Countless people swarmed around Sun Guichang, while Sun Family disciples stood nearby, pointing and cursing at Song Cheng, demanding why she had used such lethal force.

Sun Guichang’s words echoed in her mind: Kill a thousand enemies, but lose eight hundred of your own. Did this mean that while Song Cheng had injured him, she herself would also suffer serious harm?

Xu Jinrong hurried toward Song Cheng, who stood frozen in place, his words catching in his throat. “You, you…”

“Song Cheng…” Liu Zimang cried out in anguish, tears streaming down her face, her chin trembling.

Hearing her voice, Song Cheng immediately turned toward her. “Ziman.” She leaped off the arena platform and sprinted toward Liu Zimang.

Xu Jinrong and the others stared in stunned silence as Song Cheng moved with such agility.

“This… this means she’s alright, right?” Xu Jinrong muttered to himself.

Liu Tianhong rolled his eyes. “Have you ever seen someone this agile after being injured?”

“But what Old Man Sun said…”

“That old man’s just trying to scare you,” Liu Tianhong retorted dismissively. Meeting Xu Jinrong and Zhang Heng’s gazes, he cleared his throat. “Song Cheng is a freak of nature. Since she’s a freak, don’t try to apply normal logic to her.”

Xu Jinrong fell silent for a moment, stroking his chin. “You know, you might have a point.”

Meanwhile, Liu Zimang, having snapped out of her daze, rushed to greet Song Cheng as she saw her approaching. “Stop right there! Do you even care about your body anymore?”

Song Cheng immediately halted. “I’m fine.”

“Don’t lie to me! Old Sun just said—”

“Don’t listen to him. He hurt himself because he’s an idiot.” Song Cheng spread her arms wide and spun in place. “See? I’m perfectly fine.”

When she’d first heard Sun Guichang’s words, she’d been momentarily surprised. She was absolutely certain she felt no ill effects.

But Sun Guichang wouldn’t have said that just to scare her. The most likely explanation was that the Tranquil Mind Manual had neutralized most of the damage.

Liu Zimang remained skeptical, gently tapping Song Cheng’s chest to confirm she was indeed unharmed. Only then did the knot in her stomach begin to loosen.

Noticing Xu Jinrong and the others’ gazes, Song Cheng’s face flushed. She skirted around Song Cheng and shyly nodded to Xu Jinrong and Zhang Heng, who were watching her with smiles. “Hello, Grandpa Xu. Hello, Grandpa Zhang.”

Liu Tianhong waited for a while, but Liu Zimang didn’t acknowledge him. He finally spoke up, “What about me?”

Liu Zimang brushed aside her bangs. “Grandpa.”

Liu Tianhong’s expression brightened. He waved his hand dismissively. “Let’s hurry up and leave. The Sun Family members are as unreasonable as Old Man Sun himself.”

“What are you afraid of? The Sun Family was in the wrong to begin with,” Zhang Heng retorted dismissively.

Just as he finished speaking, Zhang Qucheng approached, lowering his voice. “I checked on Old Sun. His condition is critical. We should…”

All eyes turned to Song Cheng. She pursed her lips. “This isn’t my fault. He brought it on himself.”

“We may be old, but our eyes still work,” Xu Jinrong said hesitantly. “But what Old Sun said…?” He quickly clarified, “I’m not doubting you, just… curious.”

Understanding his meaning, Song Cheng replied bluntly, “It might be related to your family’s Tranquil Mind Manual.”

Xu Jinrong nodded, then his head snapped up. “You mean… the manual has that kind of effect?”

“Isn’t that your family’s cultivation manual? You should know its effects better than I do!” Song Cheng replied casually, walking over to Liu Zimang, taking her hand, and leading her out.

Suddenly, she stopped, turning her head toward the chaotic scene. “He still hasn’t apologized to you.”